The best of both worldsWe have the global reach of Unilever

The best of both worldsWe have the agility of a venture capital team

The best of both worldsWe scale businesses and grow strong brands

We are Unilever Ventures

Agility with scale

Unilever Ventures is the venture capital and private equity arm of Unilever. We invest in young, promising companies, accelerating growth by providing access to Unilever’s global ecosystem, assets and expertise. We’re looking for tomorrow’s world-beaters in Personal Care and Digital.

Access to Unilever

We provide access to a company with unrivalled global reach. On any given day, two billion people use Unilever products to look good, feel good and get more out of life. With more than 400 brands focused on health and wellbeing, no company touches so many people’s lives in so many different ways.

Unilever Ventures works closely with The Unilever Foundry to provide technology innovators with access to paid pilot projects, mentorship and growth financing.

Unilever Ventures at a glance

Founded in 2002

€450 million under management

Over 40 direct investments

Hundreds more via equity partners

Operations in Europe, North America and Asia

3rd fund launched in 2014 focused on Personal Care and Digital

Unilever group at a glance

More than 174,000 employees

Turnover of €53.3 billion in 2015 with products sold in over 190 countries

Uniquely positioned in emerging markets (57% of the business)

Annual Brand and Marketing investment budget of more than €8bn

#1 Corporate Sustainability Leader for 5th year in a row

Around €1 billion invested every year in R&D

"It's time for the brand to go to the next level. Unilever is a great company with great principles; it has a profound understanding of brands and global reach; it makes the perfect partner to help REN fulfil its future potential worldwide"Antony Buck, Co-founder, REN Skincare

"As one of the largest marketing technology organizations in the world, it has been amazing to work with Unilever building a multi-year and increasingly strategic and broad relationship. Unilever Ventures has been instrumental in helping share our vision with the key stakeholders in Unilever."James Gross, President & Co-founder, Percolate

"Unilever Ventures combine the strategic and financial benefits of a solid venture capital firm with the unique ability to leverage Unilever, helping us to tune our proposition so that we could appeal to large consumer goods companies."John Kearon, Brainjuicer, CEO & Founder

"Unilever Ventures has been an important partner in helping us grow and nurture our vision through capital infusion and access to a global network of experts and resources"Naveen Bhavanishankar, Founder, B.Lab

"Unilever Ventures has been critical to the difficult decisions a rapidly growing company faces."Bryan Brister, CEO, Voltea

"Unilever Ventures has been an ideal partner for us at this critical time of growth for our brand. They believe in our mission and they are committed to helping us reach our potential, while maintaining our rigorous safety standards. Their desire to share their extensive industry knowledge has already proved invaluable."Hillary Peterson, Founder & President, True Botanicals

"Unilever has been a fantastic investor for us. They have been incredibly supportive, providing insights and feedback where we need them, but giving us the space to stay focused on our mission. It's a great relationship."Christina Mace-Turner, Co-Founder & CEO, True Botanicals

What we do

Expertise that counts

Voted most influential Corporate Venture fund in the consumer sector, Unilever Ventures brings together an experienced and flexible team of investment and operational experts with a proven track record of creating market-leading consumer and tech companies. We play to our strengths and value people for theirs.

We can help…

Develop a brand

We fundamentally understand brands. We know how to build, nurture and protect them.

Build competitive edge

As part of a global CPG ecosystem, we can fine-tune a business’s strengths.

Turbo-charge a business

We have access to substantial in-house Unilever resources: a coach, a local expert, even a transformational client. Unilever is the 2nd largest advertiser in the world.

Strengthen the financial base

As a committed partner; we are able to provide critical follow-on financing to take a business to the next level.

Differentiated businesses with clear opportunities for global expansion that can disrupt or compete with market leaders in our target sectors.

Companies that could benefit from Unilever’s global reach, market and consumer knowledge and its capabilities.

Personal care

We’re looking for an authentic brand story which fuses beauty with superior technology and draws upon advances in science or the riches of nature to provide a great consumer experience.

We are focused on premium opportunities in cosmeceuticals/nutraceuticals, professional skincare, natural skincare and haircare, beauty devices, hair loss and scalp health, male grooming and digitally enabled beauty businesses. We also look for ground-breaking technologies that could play a role in new innovations in Unilever personal care brands.

Refreshment

We’re looking for products and businesses that delight consumers and have the potential to disrupt category ’norms’. We look for evidence of focus and ambition in exceptional branding, product delivery or a unique channel approach – eCommerce models are a bonus. Premium opportunities in tea, frozen desserts and functional beverages are most attractive.

Digital

Digital technologies are transforming nearly every aspect of the consumer journey. Unilever Ventures is seeking investments in dynamic, digitally-powered marketing businesses which can allow companies like Unilever to deliver a better return on their marketing investments and engage more deeply with consumers - at-shelf, on-line, and on-mobile.

Key focus areas include content creation, data analytics, ecommerce, Internet of Things, mobile marketing, social media, and video in both developed and emerging markets.

Sustainable living

We’re looking to invest in new technologies and business models which improve health and wellbeing and reduce environmental impact. In particular, we seek to enhance Unilever’s brands through science; to provide safe drinking water and sanitation; to improve traceability through software (SaaS) and hardware (flexible microelectronics); to reduce waste, cost and material usage; and to drive sustainable behaviour change.

Case Studies

Ren Skincare

Acquired by Unilever Ventures in April 2015 as part of its strategy to invest in and scale high potential, innovative Personal Care brands.

Acquired by Unilever Ventures in April 2015 as part of its strategy to invest in and scale high potential, innovative Personal Care brands.

Summary

Created in 2000 by Antony Buck and Robert Calcraft, REN pioneered a new type of high-performance skincare. Its combination of effectiveness, naturalness and pleasurable experience – articulated as ‘performance; purity; pleasure’ – gives it a distinctive market position that has global relevance. The multi-award winning brand is today sold in 50 countries – predominantly through perfumeries, department stores and pharmacies. Its top four markets are currently the UK, Scandinavia, US and France, and its portfolio is focused on facial care and body care.

Key Highlights

Acquired by Unilever Ventures in April 2015 with the objective of realising the brand’s global potential

In the first year, UV directly oversaw the running of the company to better understand the needs of the business and to manage a smooth transition process with the founders

Strengthened leadership team with key hires including CEO, CFO/COO, Head of Supply Chain and Head of International Sales

Provided access to market data and expertise in trends and consumer insight

Established a Unilever support framework for Legal and Regulatory issues

"it’s time for the brand to go to the next level. Unilever is a great company with great principles; it has a profound understanding of brands and global reach; it makes the perfect partner to help REN fulfil its future potential worldwide."Antony BuckREN co-founder

Ren Skincare

Percolate

We invested in Percolate in 2013 alongside best-in-class investors with deep expertise in the enterprise SaaS space to help corporations create effective, efficient, and consistent marketing.

We invested in Percolate in 2013 alongside best-in-class investors with deep expertise in the enterprise SaaS space to help corporations create effective, efficient, and consistent marketing.

Summary

Percolate has become The System of Record for Marketing® trusted by an ever increasing number of the world’s best brands, providing a marketing workflow solution able to govern the entire marketing process with a core focus around helping brands to plan, create and execute consistently on-brand content, cost effectively and on a global scale.

As a digital partner to the Unilever group, Percolate has helped build and scale a world-class brand Social publishing capability that supports brand growth (equity and penetration), better governance over the Social marketing process, Social integrations with other core Unilever systems and more effective and efficient Social marketing.

Key Highlights

Founded in 2011 to help brands adapt and succeed in a global economy where marketing has been transformed by mobile, social and software.

Now trusted by more than 800 of the world’s best brands, such as Mastercard, GE, Timberland, LOEWS

Over 300 employees in 5 locations internationally

Closed a $40m series C round in 2015 and a $24m series B in 2014. Backers include Lightspeed Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital, GGV Capital, First Round Capital and Lerer Hippeau Ventures.

"As one of the largest marketing technology organizations in the world, it has been amazing to work with Unilever building a multi-year and increasingly strategic and broad relationship. Unilever Ventures has been instrumental in helping share our vision with the key stakeholders in Unilever."James Gross,President & Co-founder

Percolate

Brainjuicer

We invested in BrainJuicer when they had only one founder employee. Our partnership helped the company scale to over 140 employees operating in 11 countries before we exited the business in 2011.

We invested in BrainJuicer when they had only one founder employee. Our partnership helped the company scale to over 140 employees operating in 11 countries before we exited the business in 2011.

Summary

BrainJuicer PLC is a marketing and brand consultancy, with market research solutions grounded in the principles of behavioural science. Unilever Ventures invested in BrainJuicer in 2003 when it had only one founder employee John Kearon, the Chief Juicer. BrainJuicer has developed a number of highly innovative, and saleable consumer research and insight tools which translate breakthroughs in psychology, behavioural economics and social sciences to allow them to better understand and predict human behaviour, as well as automate research more effectively than conventional research companies.

Listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2006, and operating in 11 countries, with approximately 140 employees by the end of 2013. BrainJuicer’s clients include many of the worlds largest consumer facing companies with large (in many cases, global) brands.

Key Highlights

Initial investment made in 2003 – start of an 8 year relationship

Helped facilitate a strong and enduring agency-client relationship with Unilever, one of the world’s largest spenders on consumer research. Supported the company with its expansion into new markets, bringing in local Unilever knowledge to help assess potential employees and de-risking market entry by building a first customer relationship with Unilever in local markets.

Assisted the business with its listing on the AIM stock market in 2006

Unilever Ventures exited the business in 2011 achieving a 17x multiple on its investment.

"Unilever Ventures combine the strategic and financial benefits of a solid venture capital firm with the unique ability to leverage Unilever, helping us to tune our proposition so that we could appeal to large consumer goods companies."John KearonBrainjuicer CEO & Founder

Brainjuicer

Froosh

Having acquired a majority stake in froosh, we have re-launched this fruit smoothie brand and business to drive it to number one in the market.

Having acquired a majority stake in froosh, we have re-launched this fruit smoothie brand and business to drive it to number one in the market.

Summary

Unilever Ventures acquired the assets of froosh in December 2008 when the business had less than €1m in revenues and was #4 in the emerging Nordic smoothie category. It’s now the leading premium smoothie brand in Scandinavia with high double digit growth per annum. We oversaw fundamental changes in the business, including the recruitment of a new management team, reformulation of the brand and packaging to make it more provocative and eye-catching, a distinctive new product positioning and a shift of the business model to owned and operated markets. We have also launched a fruit farm initiative to promote the benefits of trade with developing countries.

Key Highlights

Recruited Brendan Harris (ex-Coca Cola) to lead the business in 2009

Oversaw the reformulation of the product to 100% NFC in 2009

Used extensive Unilever network to re-negotiate bulk fruit mix costs

Worked with agency partners to re-launch froosh brand and packaging in 2010, leading to numerous awards

Helped remodel business away from distributors in core markets to owned and operated model with froosh sales teams on the ground

Raised external growth capital from angel investor in 2012

Launched first ATL marketing campaign in June 2014 in Stockholm and Helsinki – “nobody knows fruit like froosh”

"Having an investor with such a deep understanding of the business has been a tremendous asset for froosh."Brendan HarrisChairman & CEO, froosh AB

Froosh

Iluminage Beauty

We invested $25m to grow Iluminage Beauty, expanding distribution, developing award-winning new products and refreshing this home beauty device brand.

We invested $25m to grow Iluminage Beauty, expanding distribution, developing award-winning new products and refreshing this home beauty device brand.

Summary

Iluminage Beauty is a global joint venture in home beauty devices owned by Unilever Ventures and Syneron Medical Ltd. It combines Unilever’s global experience in consumer beauty product development and marketing and Syneron Medical’s expertise in professional aesthetic device technology.

Product areas include hair removal, acne and skin rejuvenation – and the range encompasses devices, topicals and intelligent textiles. Current key markets include North America, Europe and Israel.

Key highlights

Created JV with Syneron Medical in December 2013

Invested $25m to fund expansion

Worked with the business to develop branding strategy and to premiumise branding and packaging:

Iluminage Beauty Skin Smoothing Laser took 1st place in the Tools and At-Home Devices class at the HBA Global 2014 International Package Design Awards

Summary

Brandtone is a leading global provider of mobile marketing solutions to consumer goods companies. It partners with global brands to help them develop a deep and highly cost effective personal relationship with existing and prospective customers.

Unilever Ventures co-founded Brandtone in 2010 as the sole institutional investor. At the time the business was serving Unilever – its only client – in South Africa. Since then we’ve helped them scale internationally by raising over €20m in expansion capital with Verlinvest (the family investment arm of AB Inbev) and Syngenta Ventures.

Key Highlights

Co-founded the company in 2010

Made introductions into Unilever and helped secure Unilever as the largest client with multiple brand campaigns in all key markets

Helped secure major partnership deal with Unilever in Sept 2013 to:

support Brandtone’s expansion into India, China, Indonesia and the US

further build on the relationship in existing markets like Brazil, Russia, South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya

Brandtone now works with PepsiCo, SAB Millar, Kimberly Clarke and Kellogg’s.

"Unilever Ventures has helped us evolve our strategy, and understand how to navigate and service a large consumer goods company like Unilever."Donald FitzmauriceCEO, Brandtone Holdings Limited

Brandtone

Investment Team

Our core team of investment experts are based in London, Mumbai and New York.

M&A professional, Olivier has led a large number of transformative acquisition and divestment transactions for Unilever in different parts of the world. Over the last 20 years in Unilever, he has held senior positions in finance, strategy and business development. Olivier leads Unilever Ventures Investment Committee and manages relationships with a number of Corporate and Venture Capital funds and Private Equity funds around the world. He is currently a Board Director of Iluminage Beauty, Yummly, REN and ioma.

Olivier Garel Head of Ventures

John has been the MD of Unilever Ventures direct investment fund for the past 14 years, during which time he has sat on thirteen Boards, four as Chair. Currently he is also Non Exec Chair of; The Co-Op's Federal Retail Services Co which co-ordinates UK retail activities, Innovate UK’s Emerging Technologies & Industries Advisory Board and The Big Innovation Centre Governing Board. He is also a Non Exec Director of The Stobart Group PLC.

John Coombs Managing Director

Andrew joined Unilever as a marketing trainee in 1985 after studying Biochemistry at Cambridge University and has a general management, marketing and finance background. Andrew worked on setting up Unilever’s Corporate Venture Group prior to the establishment of Unilever Ventures, which he co-founded in 2002. His primary focus is investment in Personal Care. He is currently on the Boards of iluminage Beauty, Arecor and VHsquared and was on the Board of BAC, CyDen and Pharmakodex before Unilever Ventures successful exit from these companies.

Andrew Lane Director

Jan joined Unilever Ventures as a founder member in 2002. Jan leads the Digital Practice in Europe from the London office for investments in digital marketing, digital media, consumer insight, and eCommerce. Jan started his career in marketing 1989 and had over 12 years of marketing and sales experience with Unilever. He had a number of international marketing roles including European Marketing Manager for Persil and regional Marketing Manager for Oral Care for the Middle East and North Africa based in Dubai. Jan has a degree in electrical and electronic engineering from Cambridge University. Jan is currently a director on the board of a number of portfolio companies including Brandtone, Froosh, and Big Sync Music.

Jan Harley Director

Rachel brings over 20 years’ experience in senior management roles in an early stage beauty business, venture capital investing and corporate finance. After 10 years in Finance, in 2002 Rachel joined Unilever Ventures and spent 5 years working on early stage, cross sector deals. From 2007 to 2016, Rachel held a number of general management positions including Group CEO of a beauty company with operations in UK, Spain and Canada and Interim CEO of REN Skincare. Rachel specialises in Personal Care. Rachel holds a first class honours degree from the University of Sheffield. She is currently an Observer on the Board of Iluminage Beauty and a Board Director of REN.

Rachel Harris Director

Anna joined Unilever Ventures in 2003 after close to 10 years in financial advisory and VC investment. Anna works on new investment opportunities, now primarily in Personal Care and Digital Beauty, the structuring and execution of deals as well as the Board level management of portfolio companies. Anna is Swedish; she lived 12 years in France and holds a degree from the French graduate school of management ESSEC. She previously worked from investment to exit on V Water, CyDen, PharmaKodex and BAC as well as UV’s investments in Iluminage, Froosh, VHsquared and several technology spin-outs. She is currently a Board director of SACHAJUAN Haircare AB, P2i Limited and Catexel Ltd and an observer on Percolate Industries Inc.

Anna Ohlsson-Baskerville Director

Pawan has over 12 years of diversified industry experience in FMCG & Telecom working with companies like Unilever, Britannia and Nokia. Pawan joined Unilever in 2008 and has held various positions in Finance. Most recently, he served as Global Finance Director for the Water Category. Pawan has experience in M&A and played a key role in Unilever’s 2014 investment in a Chinese Water Purifier Company - Qinyuan. In April 2015, he was appointed Investment Director-Asia for Unilever Ventures where he is responsible for UV’s operations in Asia, including fund relationships. Pawan is a certified Chartered Accountant.

Pawan Chaturvedi Investment Director, Asia

Stephen joined Unilever Ventures in 2006 from Burlington Consultants, a strategy consultancy which was acquired in 2005 by Deloitte & Touche LLP. At Burlington / Deloitte, he worked on numerous commercial due diligence assignments for private equity clients and debt providers as well as advising corporate clients on a variety of strategic business issues across multiple sectors. Stephen has been involved in UV’s investments into Froosh (smoothies), CyDen (beauty devices, since exited), P2i (smart coatings), SNOG Pure Frozen Yogurt (frozen yogurt) and Big Sync Music (music licensing). Stephen holds a first class honours degree in Business from the University of Bath and is a Director of Froosh, SNOG Pure Frozen Yogurt and Big Sync Music.

Stephen Willson Investment Director

Ian joined Unilever Ventures in 2010 and focuses on digital technology deals. He is a Board director of Voltea and CDDM Tech, and he previously worked on our exit of Rahu Catalytics, as well as UV’s investments in Brandtone, VH2, iluminage, Syneron Beauty and CDDM Tech. Prior to joining Unilever Ventures, Ian was a strategy consultant with L.E.K. in London and Melbourne. He has a PhD in Physical Chemistry from Cambridge University and an MSci in Chemistry from Bristol University.

Ian Lane Investment Director

Amelia joined Unilever Ventures’ Investment Team in 2015, with a primary focus on digital technology deals. Prior to this Amelia was a Strategy Consultant within the M&A practice at Accenture. Amelia has experience in transactions across Technology and Consumer Goods, and led due diligence activities for Accenture’s UK digital innovation fund. Amelia has a BA Hons degree in Philosophy from Durham University, and further training includes CIMA, CFA IMC, and an MBA Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development module. Amelia also set-up, and ran a domestic services business, and is the founder of a non-profit organisation focusing on women in business.

Amelia Townsend Investment Associate

Financial business partner on European and US direct investments; responsible for portfolio performance processes as well as providing transactional support on specific deals. Interfaces with Unilever Group on accounting and reporting impact of these investments. Is FCA Compliance and Money Laundering Officer and is responsible for UK and US office accounting operations. Prior to joining Unilever Ventures in 2006, Paul had 13 years of experience supporting Unilever FMCG operations in Europe. His roles have ranged from sales and marketing support, category finance manager, financial accounting operations, company planning and analysis to internal audit and business systems implementation.

Paul Hart Finance Controller - Direct

Jay Miranda joined Unilever Ventures in 2004 and is the Financial Controller responsible for the evaluation and ongoing financial management of Fund investments and Co-investments across Europe, the US and Asia. She has over 20 years’ experience in financial, commercial and manufacturing accounting and her category experience has been all within Foods and has focused on the area of Spreads and Dressings. During her time in Ventures, Jay has been extensively involved in exploring and entering new markets.

Jay graduated in 1990 with a degree in Accounting and Finance from The University of Birmingham and prior to joining Unilever; Jay trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers gaining 4 years of extensive audit experience in manufacturing and the foods sector.

Jay Miranda Financial Controller - Funds

Amanda joined Unilever Ventures in 2011 having previously held a role as tax manager for Unilever’s UK operating companies. Her role is to provide tax support for all Ventures transactions. She acts as a single global point of contact on all tax issues, coordinating tax advice from various jurisdictions. Amanda advises on tax structuring within the framework of Unilever’s Tax Principles. During her time at Ventures, she has been involved in exploring and setting up new structures to enable Ventures to enter new markets and also in various disposals both intra-group and to external buyers.

Amanda qualified as a Chartered Accountant and a Chartered Tax Adviser with Ernst & Young in Manchester and has over 10 years’ experience working in tax in various roles both in practice and more recently as an in-house tax adviser.

Amanda Clarke Tax Manager

Lana joined Unilever Ventures in 2015 as PA to the Head and Directors of Unilever Ventures. Prior to this Lana was a Global Commercial Assistant within the Oncology and Brillinta team at AstraZeneca. Lana is also responsible for the firm’s day to day operations, including network infrastructure, telecommunications and technical support. She acts as a contact for 3rd parties on office services and property issues, as well as being the front of house for the office, and supporting the rest of the UV team. Lana has a Diploma in Business & Secretarial Management and holds a BAppSocSci in Counselling and Communication.

Lana Base PA/Office Manager

Advisers and Portfolio Company Non Exec Directors

We have a global network of world-class sector and functional experts inside and outside Unilever.